With our minds securely wrapped around the concept that Alabama hasn’t come anywhere close to locking down a spot in the national championship game—much less the title itself—let’s do some Big Game Hunting, starting with the five best matchups on the board. (All games on Saturday unless otherwise noted. All times Eastern.)

1. No. 9 South Carolina at No. 3 Florida (3:30 p.m., CBS). Here’s the thing about the Gators (6-0, 5-0 SEC) and the Gamecocks (6-1, 4-1): Although there’s something of a gulf between them in the polls following the latter team’s loss at LSU, they’re essentially in the same position. You can throw the Tigers and even Alabama into that “same” mix, too.

Any of those teams that wins out through the SEC championship game is 100 percent guaranteed to play for the BCS title.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with anything in our season right now,” UF coach Will Muschamp said of his team’s No. 2 ranking in the first BCS poll.

And then there’s the whole Heisman thing. It’s still Geno Smith’s award to lose—but all it’ll take for him to get passed up is a Collin Klein-led victory in Morgantown. A whole lot easier said than done, of course.

“Hopefully we can contain, that’s the first piece,” Les Miles said of defending Aggies freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. “The good thing is that our defense will be one of the fastest that he has seen.”

4. No. 2 Oregon at Arizona State (Thursday, 9 p.m., ESPN). So far, the only argument we’ve heard against the Sun Devils (5-1, 3-0 Pac-12) is that they lost to Missouri. Well, a lot of teams drop an early ballgame on the road out of conference. You know what a lot of teams don’t do? Outscore opponents by an average of 26.2 points through six games.

“Our goal in this game is not to be playing 80-plus snaps on defense,” ASU’s Todd Graham said.

Seems ASU’s balanced offense (fourth in the Pac-12 in both rushing and passing) ought to be able to help with that some. Graham’s also calling upon the crowd in Tempe to help make young Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota uncomfortable.

Look, there’s no question which team has the talent edge. Or the huge experience edge in high-profile games. But if you don’t think the Ducks (6-0, 3-0) are in any danger whatsoever, you haven’t been paying attention.

5. No. 1 Alabama at Tennessee (7 p.m., ESPN). Derek Dooley feels like we all feel: “They are deep. They are talented. They just change jersey numbers every year, but the guys all look the same.” Who wouldn’t describe the Vols (3-3, 0-3 SEC) that way?

Oh, wait. He means the Crimson Tide (6-0, 3-0 SEC).

Dooley has come close to beating Nick Saban a couple of times now, if you consider 37-6 and 41-10 close. Alabama’s winning streak vs. the Vols—five games and counting—is going to end sometime. Not sure Dooley will be around to revel in it, though.

Four of a Kind: Stately affairs

1. This matchup meant so much more in the early parts of the previous two decades, but at least No. 12 Florida State at Miami (7 p.m., ABC) has some life to it in 2012. Assuming, that is, you’re willing to cling to the notion that both the Seminoles (6-1, 3-1 Atlantic) and the Hurricanes (4-3, 3-1 Coastal) are true ACC contenders. We’d feel better about Miami’s chances if quarterback Stephen Morris weren’t doubtful with a sprained ankle.

2. Both teams are 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play, so why is Texas Tech ranked 18th and TCU unranked? Probably because the Red Raiders won decisively at Iowa State, which then won decisively on the Horned Frogs’ home field. Fort Worth is the scene for this matchup (3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2), the winner of which will be tied for first in the league standings if West Virginia knocks off K-State.

3. Boy, we sure thought Michigan State at No. 23 Michigan (3:30 p.m., Big Ten Network) would be a whole lot bigger than this. So did every football fan in the state. It only seems like all of them ditched Spartan Stadium during last week’s loss to Iowa.

“It’s a fickle society,” said Mark Dantonio, whose Spartans (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten) have beaten the Wolverines (4-2, 2-0) four years in a row. “There are a lot of things going on in a lot of people’s worlds. Football is not the end game for a lot of people, and that’s OK. I’m sure it will be this weekend. It will be the end game.”

The only thing it’ll be the end of is one of these teams’ hopes of calling 2012 a halfway decent year.

4. Respect the Big East for having three unbeaten, ranked teams. And, for the love of all that is holy, respect MACtion! Seriously, nobody is talking about No. 21 Cincinnati at Toledo (7 p.m., ESPN3). Quite the prime-time TV spot this one’s getting, too. The Bearcats (5-0) and Rockets (6-1) are good, folks. Just sayin’.

Three Things I Don’t Want to Know Yet But Am Afraid I Already Do

1. What happens when a ball of marshmallow meets a pile of feathers? A bare minimum of 100 points happens. Two fun offenses—and two of the softest defenses in college football—are on display as Baylor visits Texas (7 p.m., ABC).

“Play harder and play better and play tougher,” Mack Brown said of the goals for the Longhorns (4-2, 1-2 Big 12). “We’re trying to get to be a tougher football team.”

Sure they are. So are the Bears (3-2, 0-2). Let’s have a big ol’ laugh about that round about the 60-point mark, otherwise known as halftime.

2. We admire Bill O’Brien for the job he has done thus far, but we’ve got the feeling Penn State at Iowa (8 p.m., BTN) is where it starts to break bad on the field for the Nittany Lions. Both teams are 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten, but who has PSU beaten other than, you know, Northwestern? With Ohio State on deck, 4-4 will be here before the Nits know it.

3. Virginia Tech at No. 14 Clemson (noon, ABC/ESPN2) isn’t about revenge for the Hokies (4-3, 2-1 ACC), who were beaten twice last season by the Tigers (5-1, 2-1). Not anymore. Now—facing what would be a fourth loss for only the second time since the school joined the ACC in 2004—the Hokies are just trying to save their season.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

Clemson, after winning by 20 in Blacksburg and by 28 in the league title game, is deep inside Virginia Tech’s head and not going anywhere.

“You don’t want to get down against these guys,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said, “because they can keep going.”

Exactly the point.

Two Underdogs You Definitely Should Bet Your House On

1. Maryland +3 vs. North Carolina State (3:30 p.m., ESPNU). When did the Wolfpack (4-2, 1-1 ACC) stop being a terrible road team? We’ll take the surprising successful, highly motivated Terps (4-2, 2-0) on their home turf.

2. TCU +2.5 vs. Texas Tech. Gary Patterson is breathing fire this week. No losing at home to a school with “Texas” in its name allowed.

One More Thing

This Bo PeLLLLini thing just isn’t working. Whether or not the Huskers win at Northwestern (3:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN2), that 63-38 embarrassment at Ohio State two weekends ago made it clear they aren’t an improved team after all, as the fifth-year coach expected them to be. And we’ve got to think that means they’ll do the same thing in Year 5 as they did in Years 1-4: lose four games.

At 4-2 (1-1), they’re already halfway to four Ls.

Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern (6-1, 2-1) are looking to beat the Huskers for the second straight season, which would confirm what many already might believe: that Red vs. Purple doesn’t boil down to who’s on the field as much as it does to who’s in charge on the sidelines.